I found this a most interesting reasoning about the resons why fighting and dying continued on this day 92 years ago, even if everybody knew the Armistice was only hours away: http://www.historynet.com/world-war-i-wasted-lives-on-armistice-day.htm
One of the most interesting questions in the after-war trial was: How many generals died on November 11th?
Casualties on Armistice Day 1918 exceeded those on D-Day 1944.
-- Edited by Pat on Thursday 11th of November 2010 11:21:08 AM
-- Edited by Pat on Thursday 11th of November 2010 11:27:11 AM
It was first shown a couple of years ago and again last week. Hurry up - there are only 2 days left to watch it on iPlayer.
In a TV series called World War One In Colour (i.e. colourised by computer) the narration is by the distinguished actor Kenneth Branagh. He announces that the War ended on the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh month," which is unfortunate. That would be 11 minutes past ten on November 1st.
"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
Sorry about that, Pat. Maybe it's on DVD, if you're sufficiently interested. It does discuss the US cover-up (described by an American historian).
Disappointed to see that no terrestrial TV channels in the UK are showing anything connected with the occasion tonight, just a rerun of Memphis Belle that was probably scheduled to happen anyway.
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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
I was suprised by the attitude of the American brass. So many young men dying losing their lives for the ego of so few!
Mind you the pictures of the 'Muslims Against Crusades' burning a model of a poppy this morning in London at 11.00 and displaying 'British soldiers burn in hell' posters was equally sick. It could only happen in Britain!
-- Edited by RCD on Thursday 11th of November 2010 10:34:32 PM